Scrimmage player notes

These are cobbled together from interviews with Chip Kelly and selected players after tonight’s scrimmage.

QUARTERBACKS:

Jeremiah Masoli went 9-of-19 and had four passes dropped, while Nate Costa went 16-of-35 with three drops. Costa had two touchdown passes negated by penalties and one bobbled out of bounds by a receiver, and there was also a rushing touchdown negated by a penalty while Costa was at quarterback. There were three total interceptions. Kelly didn’t seem overly concerned, saying tipped balls were to blame in some cases, and in others the quarterbacks might have been forcing passes because of the situation they were put in (late game, needing a touchdown, or something like that).

RUNNING BACKS:

LeGarrette Blount took a handoff on the first four plays of the scrimmage and then sat out the rest of the night. Kenjon Barner continues to play only offense. He’ll do so until an injury necessitates his return to cornerback, if ever.

RECEIVERS:

Kelly said he feels good right now about Jamere Holland, Jeff Maehl, Garrett Embry, D.J. Davis and Lavasier Tuinei. Newcomers Tyrece Gaines and Diante Jackson will be eased into the rotation early on after missing some of fall camp with knee injuries.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

Bo Thran was able to participate to some extent, so the anticipated starting group was together for at least part of the scrimmage. Sounds like the second group struggled a bit, both with protection and on a couple of those penalties that negated scoring plays while Costa was at quarterback. Charlie Carmichael was carted out of the stadium after the scrimmage and entered the Casanova Center on crutches with his left ankle wrapped.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

Zac Clark had a big night statistically, and several people mentioned that Terrell Turner had a good scrimmage. Wade Keliikipi did not dress, presumably because of his shoulder, and Keaton Arden wasn’t suited up and had a walking boot on his left foot.

LINEBACKERS:

The interception by Bryson Littlejohn was apparently a nifty one-handed deal. Littlejohn had been limited by an arm injury this past week in camp, so his participation is a good sign. Dewitt Stuckey did not dress for the scrimmage.

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Along with T.J. Ward and Walter Thurmond, the other two starters will come from the group of Talmadge Jackson, Willie Glasper, Marvin Johnson and Javes Lewis. Blount said Chad Peppars did some good things tonight.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

From the sound of it, Jackson Rice and Morgan Flint are leading the kicking battles. The Ducks have yet to settle on Costa or Tim Taylor as a holder, a decision Flint will have a lot of input in. Michael Clay is pushing for the long-snapping job and is also being tried now as a short snapper on placekicks behind Jordan Holmes. Clay has been working on his snapping with graduate assistant Peter Sirmon, who did some snapping in the NFL. The primary kick returners will be Thurmond, Barner and LaMichael James.